Families living in a Metairie apartment complex where a 7-year-old girl was kidnapped yesterday still can't believe what happened.

"I'm just glad that she got away, because they have a lot of little kids around here and anybody could take them at any time," said Terrell Sears, who lives there.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office says 29-year-old Steven Carter is charged with aggravated kidnapping and one count of aggravated rape after witnesses say he snatched the girl from a gated pool area. Within an hour a call came into the 911 center from a woman who found the girl in the 900 block of West William David Parkway. Valerie Vanney lives nearby.

"She was holding a Bible, or something with a Bible in her hand," said Vanney.

Vanney said when she saw the suspect's vehicle on TV her hair stood on end.

"I saw the car a few days ago and it kind of slowed down in the neighborhood. I was just watching from my window to see if the car was going to stop but it never really stopped. But anytime a car slows down you become a little suspicious -- when it's not a car you see in the neighborhood frequently," said Vanney.

Surveillance video helped identify carter and soon investigators were at his family's home in Kenner. They did not speak with WDSU. Neighbors couldn't believe the news.

"I am very surprised, because I have two daughters that are 7 and 11 years old," said Abraham Khalil who told WDSU he had seen Carter many times since moving there three years ago.

According to authorities Carter told his family he was staying here at 1125 N. Tonti Street. It's the Odyssey House -- a place specializing in behavioral health treatment and addiction services. Carter was later arrested outside the Odyssey House. The nonprofit cannot confirm whether Carter was ever a patient, but says he was not a resident at the time of the crime. Ed Carlson is the executive director:

"Lots of times clients will tell their family members 'I'm going to treatment' and the family thinks they're going to treatment and unfortunately it's part of the problem with the disease of addiction," said Carlson.

Administrators say the facility is very careful with who is admitted, because they treat women and children.

"We don't take sex offenders at Odyssey House, we run a background check on everybody that comes in," said Carlson.

As we enter into the summer months, families are on high alert.

"We're going to watch each other more," said Tyrell Sears.

They'll be keeping their kids a little closer.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office believes Carter acted alone. He has no prior record in Jefferson Parish..and is not a registered sex offender in Louisiana.